Eat The World Tree

The one that looked like a sparrow had quite a nasty temper.

Contrary to my expectation that it wouldn’t be able to use magic, it seemed to have stored at least minimal power in its clone, making it difficult to capture. I heard it was some kind of princess or something. Noble, beautiful, pretty, cute, and all that babble. They talked about it endlessly, but to my eyes, it was just a fluffy bird.

Still, its magic skills were quite exceptional. If it were before I traveled back in time, I might have struggled to handle it. Perhaps I might not have been able to subdue it.

The methods of contracting with spirits generally fell into three categories.

The first was contracting through the spirit’s goodwill, free of charge. Cases arose where there was a special bond with a spirit from childhood, such as love or friendship.

The second was establishing an official relationship through mutual agreement. This involved paying a sufficient price to borrow the spirit’s power.

Lastly, the third method was overwhelming and subduing the spirit into submission. Originally, I intended to choose the second method. However, given that this princess’s attitude far exceeded my expectations, the Sage recommended that I subdue her by force.

Kwaaang!

A bright yellow sword brushed past my cheek, and an explosion echoed from behind me.

‘Even the woodpecker was quite strong… but this one’s even more formidable.’

If the woodpecker had overflowing but unrefined talent…

Then this sparrow gives off the impression of a seasoned soldier skilled in the chaos of the battlefield despite lacking talent.

Thanks to the Sage teleporting me to an uninhabited area, there wasn’t any commotion. Standing on the ground without flying, I looked at the fluttering woodpecker.

Dozens of yellow sword tips were entirely directed at me.

[Let go of the princess!!!!]

The shout came from a female knight. Her voice resounded across the battlefield like a commander’s.

I looked at the sparrow in my grip. Unable to use magic anymore, it was panting in exhaustion, hanging limp in my hand.

The little sparrow that insisted it would never show its belly was now blankly revealing its soft, white body.

[I said let go!!!!!]

[…Luci.]

[Princess, ah… Princess Eleonore. I… I must protect the princess….]

The intense, desperate dialogue of the two women on the battlefield played out passionately.

-Cheep, chirp! Chirp!

-Chirp… cheep cheep.

Thankfully, I could eavesdrop on the conversation through spirit resonance; otherwise, anyone else would have asked what on earth was happening. I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly.

“Are you two playing house?”

Two birds chirping back and forth—honestly, it was just funny. Cute, yes, but that was about it.

Anyway, that magic was quite annoying. I didn’t know spirits had kingdoms, but if she was a warrior from one, she could be hiding her true power.

“Eleonore. So you had a name?”

[Hmph… I didn’t want you to know it.]

Did she think there was an escape route with the fight dragging on? The prideful gleam returned to the eyes of the creature that had just been happily snuggling against me.

Oh, was that so. I infused my fingers with magic and lightly stimulated under her wing.

[…Ah, ah! Father….]

-Chirp chirp.

[Youoooooo!!! Stop fooling around!!!!]

The woodpecker cried out with fury, trembling as if convulsing. To an observer, it might look like I was hurting the bird.

Injecting high-quality magic to overwhelm a spirit into submission is naturally effective. That kind of reaction is fascinating.

‘If she hates it so much… do I even need to keep fighting?’

As that question briefly crossed my mind, I looked at her with a smirk.

“Withdraw your sword.”

[…What?]

“Unless you want to see your princess collapse under my magic. Withdraw it.”

[Luci… don’t worry about me… Ah!]

“Quiet, you.”

I tapped her bottom with my finger. The little sparrow shivered all over, but this time, I didn’t stop there.

Ten fingers. Both hands.

With black magic flowing from each fingertip, I brushed every corner of the sparrow’s body. The approaching hands left her in shock.

[No, no! Is it still… not over? How much… magic… Luci! Luci! Father!!! Help!]

[Stop, stop it! What… what should I do?]

The woodpecker began to plead desperately. But it was too late. The young bird’s body was filled to the brim with magic.

[Ah, uh. The magic… it’s too much!!!]

I patted her chin, bottom, and back, covering every part. It sounds a bit much, but really, I was just stroking her. When you owned a parrot or canary, if their feathers were soft, wouldn’t you end up petting them? Sometimes birds could be more affectionate than dogs. Birds certainly had impressive intelligence.

[You insolent human!!!!!!!!!]

“Hard to understand what the bird is saying.”

[Hmpf, ohoh.]

One bird convulsed in short bursts, while the woodpecker cried out in despair. Yet, I didn’t stop.

“Retract your magic.”

[Eleonore… I…]

Only then did we start making sense. As dozens of floating swords vanished, I finally stopped stroking the sparrow.

“And come here.”

[Ugh.]

Hesitating, the woodpecker finally approached, flying over as I reached my hand toward the sparrow again.

It didn’t take long for her to perch in my hand. The creature sat in my palm, glancing at the sparrow beside her with an emotional gaze.

[Luci… you should escape while you can…]

[How… how could I possibly run away and leave the princess behind?]

It was so emotional that it was almost tear-jerking. It was not like I declared I would deep-fry them alive, and it was even a clone, so why were they acting like this?

[Now, release the princess.]

The woodpecker glared at me fiercely. I clenched my hand tightly, holding onto the woodpecker.

“When did I ever say I’d let her go?”

[…Tch, you scoundrel!]

I gently rubbed her wing with my thumb, infusing it with a bit of magic.

[Ugh, ugh….]

She was holding out. Compared to the little lady who screamed at the first touch, it’s quite impressive. I showed a slightly surprised expression.

Not long after, she spoke with a hint of resignation in her voice.

[…If you desire it, then do whatever you will with me… Just spare the princess.]

What a tearful sacrifice.

Well, according to my original plan, contracting with one spirit would’ve been enough. Though she may be slightly inferior in class, the woodpecker, with her exceptional magic handling, would be more advantageous as my contracted spirit.

“Well, I’ll consider it.”

But wasn’t this a perfect chance to contract with both?

There’s no reason for me to back down here. The skilled woodpecker was already bound to me, unable to move and with her wings spread wide, exposing even her underarms.

[…Really?]

“Yes, as long as you can withstand my magic.”

[Luci, don’t do that….]

[It’s all right, Princess.]

With a resolute look, the woodpecker gazed at the sparrow. There was considerable dignity in her sharp gaze. If she were to assist me, she’d make an extremely reliable spirit.

[I will never submit to a man like this.]

[Luci….]

I created a thread of pure white magic to bind the sparrow and set her down on the ground. Half-exhausted but worried about the sparrow, she immediately stood up and glared at me. I filled one hand with magic and began touching the woodpecker.

[I won’t ever let things go the way you want!]

---

[…Haah, aaah! Ugh, ugh… ngh!]

It took only three minutes. Her resolve didn’t last long; the retort-level woodpecker couldn’t keep up.

My magic—could it be more versatile than I thought? They said it was a rare kind of magic, something no one had ever seen before. Although black magic was less common, it did exist in some form. Maybe she recognized something slightly different due to each individual’s unique attributes.

When it came to magic, they were the most sensitive beings.

[…Ah, Luci… why?]

The sparrow looked on in despair, her mouth open, witnessing the dire scene.

Her initial resistance to my touch lasted only a moment. Now she was rubbing against my hand.

[No… nooo, aaah!!]

“You’re finally chirping like a real bird.”

Until just now, her loud cries didn’t sound like pleasant bird calls at all. Koreans, who appreciated the poetic, had a beautiful expression for chirping that went beyond merely ‘crying.’

If not for the context, one might mistake it for a beautiful bird singing a song.

‘But why are they acting as if they’re in heat?’

It was a necessary tactic, but the sounds they were making were really on the suggestive side. All I was doing was stroking her, yet this made me feel like some ogre doing unspeakable things.

“Do you want to form a contract?”

[…With someone like you? Never!]

“Imagine receiving this magic for a lifetime.”

[…A… lifetime.]

The woodpecker’s gaze grew hazy as she looked at me. Those damp eyes were deep in thought.

Well? Didn’t it sound appealing? It was not like I was a tyrant who’d summon it at every whim. Just for a bit when I needed magic and, in return, I’d give it some extra power. Who’d turn down a deal like that?

My sultry voice tickled the woodpecker’s ears.

[A lifetime. With you….]

Thump, thump.

Its heartbeat quickened, proving birds had hearts too. At the same time, I patted its fluffy bottom like tapping a cat’s rear. Then, as if it couldn’t hold back, the response burst out.

[…Ghhh! I’ll make… the contract. Please let me!]

[Luci….]

[Princess… I’m sorry, but, but….]

Swooosh.

This was a disaster.

[…I… with this person….]

An unavoidable catastrophe, one that couldn’t be reversed or escaped.

[…I said I’d serve only the princess…]

[Luci!]

Its legs stretched out as it collapsed in exhaustion. Its feathers glistened with a beautiful sheen. Overwhelmed by the excess magic, its bird form looked exceptionally radiant. With its body mostly made of magic, receiving this much supply means it’s basically filled with my essence.

[Ughh….]

[Ah, Luci. How… how much…]

Its voice trembled.

The woodpecker, having submitted to me, now had a black magic thread around its neck. Originally, it would have been yellow, but after receiving my magic, the aura emitted from its body turned black.

The thread connected to me—a symbol of the contract. There was almost no price involved, just that I’d supply magic every now and then.

Finally, I pressed some magic into its belly with a gentle push.

“The contract’s done. This means there’s no point in resisting anymore. Got it?”

[Y-yes! I’m sorry…!]

“Alright, now for the next one.”

I turned my gaze to the sparrow. It couldn’t even take a step back, staring blankly at Luci with unfocused eyes. I slowly reached out my hand.

[Luci….]

[P…princess.]

The moment my hand approached, it pecked at me with its beak in defiance. A resistance that didn’t hurt in the slightest. The sparrow, fitting perfectly in my hand, looked at me with eyes that seemed mixed with curiosity and anticipation.

[Ah, ahhh…. I want, that too.]

It would happen. My magic engulfed the sparrow.